As shown in the table, Korea has experienced rapid population aging alongside its economic development, driven by both rising life expectancy and a persistently low fertility rate. Life expectancy increased substantially from 62.3 years in 1970 to over 83 years by 2020. During the same period, the total fertility rate fell sharply from 4.53 to 0.84.
The figure illustrates changes in Korea's population structure over time. The share of the population aged 65 and over has risen rapidly since the 2000s and is projected to approach 50 percent of the total population by 2070. In contrast, the share of the population aged 0โ14 has followed the opposite trajectory, declining steadily over the same period. The working-age population (ages 15โ64), which expanded throughout much of Korea's industrialization period, has also entered a long-term downward trend and is projected to continue shrinking in the coming decades.
As shown in the table, Korea has experienced rapid population aging alongside its economic development, driven by both rising life expectancy and a persistently low fertility rate. Life expectancy increased substantially from 62.3 years in 1970 to over 83 years by 2020. During the same period, the total fertility rate fell sharply from 4.53 to 0.84.
The figure illustrates changes in Korea's population structure over time. The share of the population aged 65 and over has risen rapidly since the 2000s and is projected to approach 50 percent of the total population by 2070. In contrast, the share of the population aged 0โ14 has followed the opposite trajectory, declining steadily over the same period. The working-age population (ages 15โ64), which expanded throughout much of Korea's industrialization period, has also entered a long-term downward trend and is projected to continue shrinking in the coming decades.